These dogs love this guy. You can imagine the bonding that must go on between someone racing in the Iditerod, and their dogs. Pure teamwork. Mutual love and devotion. OK, now I've gone and made myself all misty eyed. See that shed in the center left background? That was Rick's dogfood storage til a big grizzly ripped open the door. You could still see the claw marks. Rick told me he had to move his camper next to his dogs and spend the next few nights with them. Everynight the griz came back. When he did, Rick would bomb him with a M-80. After a few nights the bear decided his serenity wasn't worth having this dude throw giant firecrackers at him and went away for quieter pickings.